A Thousand Thanks
by Lucy Mars
Summary: I've never hated being right this much in my entire life.


Title: A Thousand Thanks

Author: Lucy Mars

Disclaimer: Ha! If they were mine, THEY.WOULD.GET.IT.ON.ALREADY!! But alas, they don't belong to me. ABS and the people at WB & NBC hold the deed to The West Wing and their characters. 

Rating: PG-13-ish.

**This is a Post Ep. For Stirred.......an amazing episode marking the return of Josh and Donna-ness and the death of LockJaw. Opps........I'm projecting again, sorry. ;]

Archive: Ask, that's all.

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"You wrote a memo."

Spinning around in surprise, Josh almost dropped the binder that he was holding. "Make a little noise, huh?"

Still beaming, Donna quickly caught up to Josh and gave him a misty smile. "You wrote a memo." Donna repeated following Josh down the hall.

"He told you?" Josh asked smiling sheepishly at Donna.

Nodding, Donna followed Josh into his office. "He called her."

"Yeah?" Josh asked mirroring Donna's grin.

"From the Oval Office." Donna nodded closing the door behind her.

"You get to talk to her?"

"Yeah." Donna beamed, "I think that it meant more to her then a Presidential Proclamation ever would."

"Getting to talk to the President of the United States?" Josh asked leaning back against his desk and watching Donna beam at him.

"Yeah." Donna nodded, "They talked about...everything." 

"That's good. I'm glad." Josh said smiling at Donna. "Are you okay? You're leaking there Donna."

"I never got to thank her." Donna explained her voice catching a little as she wiped the corners of her eyes, "Tonight I got to thank her for changing my life. It was because of her that I'm here." she said gesturing around the room. "It's because when I was at the lowest point in my life, I remembered that she told me, 'Donnatella Moss, you can do anything! Don't let anyone tell you that you can't.' That's why I got in my car and drove to New Hampshire. That's where I got the strength to jump. That's why I work in the White House."

"Maybe a little bit of me too." Josh joked.

"Yeah," Donna agreed her face softening, "you too."

"I'm glad that you got to talk to her." Josh said sincerely, "I know how much she meant to you."

"She was the first person who believed in me." Donna whispered smiling nostalgically at the memory. "She believed that I could do anything with my life…" 

"She's not the only one." Josh said honestly.

Her expression shifted, but Josh didn't have time to analyze the small twinkle behind her eyes, or the way her face seemed to light up. Donna quickly closed the small space between them and wrapped her arms around a surprised, but not unwillingly, Josh.

"Thank you." Donna whispered resting her chin on Josh's shoulder.

His arms coming around to hold her tightly against him, Josh smiled against her soft and silky hair, "You're welcome."

Her body comfortably molded against Josh, Donna didn't want to let go. Not yet. "Thank you for taking a chance on me." Donna whispered feeling Josh's arms tightening around her.

"Thank you for taking the chaos that I created and finding order." Josh chuckled remembering how Donna had made sense of his life. In more ways than one.

Shifting her head, Donna rested her cheek against his strong shoulder. "Thank you for taking me back." Donna said softly after a moment of silence.

His heart twisting at the memory, Josh inhaled her soft scent of perfume and shampoo. "Thank you for coming back."

Smiling against his shoulder, Donna closed her eyes and let her mind be wrapped around in Josh's comforting scent. A perfect combination of cologne and Irish Spring. "Thank you for bringing me along for the ride."

"Thank you for helping me get here." Josh whispered stroking Donna's back, "Thank you for helping me stay here."

Her hand moving down to his chest, Donna let her fingers sprawl over his strong heart. Raining salty tears on his wrinkled blue dress shirt, Donna said softly, her voice wavering with emotion, "Thank you for staying for a little while longer."

"I intended to stay for a lot more then a little while." Josh replied laying his steady hand over her trembling one and lacing their fingers together. "I think I've got a good 50 years left before I need to start worrying. Or really, you need to start worrying for me."

Pulling back slightly to give Josh a watery smile, Donna nodded in agreement. "50 years is a good even number."

Bring their joined hand up to her misty face, Josh gently wiped away her tears with his thumb. "Thank you for pulling me back together when I was falling apart."

"Thank you for letting me." Donna whispered.

His arms loosely wrapped around Donna, Josh smirked. "Does this mean that you'll bring me coffee now?"

"Will you take me to Hawaii?" Donna asked looping her arms around Josh's neck. It should have been inappropriate to have you arms wrapped around your boss, but this wasn't inappropriate. This was two friends. 

Laughing, Josh shook his head. "Coffee for Hawaii?"

"Take it or leave it." Donna grinned.

"I think I'll get my own coffee."

"Your loss."

"I think that, somehow, I'll get over it."

Looking over Josh's shoulder and into the darkness of the night, Donna said softly. "She said that she was proud of me."

"She's not the only one." Josh replied.

Her eyes snapping back to his, Donna tilted her head to the side and smiled at Josh. "Thank you."

"You've been saying that a lot tonight." Josh teased.

"Better late then never." Donna pointed out.

"I know." Josh whispered brushing Donna's hair back. "You know, you're right."

"About what?" Donna asked mesmerized by the feeling of his fingers running through her hair.

"You never have a bad hair day."

Feeling the laughter build in her chest, Donna wasn't sure who started it, but the laughter never made it to her lips. Lips, by the way, that were occupied at the moment. Tightening her arms around Josh, Donna held on for dear life, because at any moment her knees would buckle...or she would wake up. She wasn't sure which one she wanted.

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Her eyes were sparkling with laughter and Josh felt his chest tighten with that familiar feeling. The one that he got whenever Donna smiled at him, or teased him. He missed that feeling. It was that fluttering feeling that would start in his chest, and then spread to the tips of his fingers and the ends of his toes. He didn't know who started it, but before Josh had time to think his lips were dancing with hers.

Pulling Donna flush against his body, Josh tangled his fingers in her hair and lost himself in the sensation that was Donnatella Moss. Thank god he was sitting on the edge of his desk. Josh wasn't sure how long his legs would have held him up.

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Her fingers digging into his back, Donna felt the room start to spin beneath her. Whether it was from the sensation of Josh's body moving against hers, the feeling of their lips melding, or the lack of oxygen going to her brain, Donna pulled away. Talk about sensory overload.

Her breath coming in short pants, Donna rested her forehead against Josh's and watched with avid fascination as his chest rose and fell in time with hers. Their lips were a millimeter away from each other as they desperately pulled air into their deprived lungs. As his warm breath tickled her skin, Donna looked up at Josh and found him watching her with an unreadable expression.

'Okay,' Donna thought watching Josh watch her, 'so this wasn't a dream. Dreams weren't this real. At least they never have been before.'

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His hand still tangled in her silky strands, Josh felt his eyes burn when he saw Donna looking at him uncertain and confused. His heart melting, Josh leaned over and gently touched his lips to hers. Kissing her tenderly this time. Slower, and with more care. 

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Her breath catching, Donna felt herself melt into Josh's arms the moment he touched his lips to hers.

'Nope, this wasn't a dream.' Donna though as she tangled her own hands into Josh's hair. 

Adrenaline pumping wildly through her veins, Donna felt daring. She felt dangerous. She felt like making Josh moan. God, she wanted him.

Her teeth lightly nipped at his bottom lip and sucked it into her own willing mouth. Feeling his moan vibrate through her body, Donna pulled Josh closer to her, if that was possible, and slipped her tongue into dance with his.

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Whimpering against Donna's mouth and her skillful tongue, Josh felt his fingers desperately pull her closer to him. He wanted her. Josh had never wanted anyone like that way he wanted Donnatella Moss. 

Exploring the intoxicating contours of her mouth, Josh cradled her head with his gentle hands. He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to taste her. Josh just wanted her. "Let's go." Josh whispered kissing a trail down Donna's neck.

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His voice penetrating the hazy part of her mind, Donna blinked a few times to try and clear her head. Not an easy task considering where Josh was going with his lips. "What?"

"Let's go." Josh repeated finding Donna's collarbone and kissing it with intense curiosity.

"Where?" Donna asked, her own voice sounding breathless to her ears.

"My place." Josh said moving back up Donna's neck.

Arching her neck to give him better access, Donna grasped desperately at Josh's shoulders. His words echoed through her and Donna felt herself excepting his offer. She felt herself, her lips, getting ready to whisper yes. If only life was that easy. 

"No."

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"What?" Josh asked moving his lips over Donna's face.

"Josh," Donna sighed pulling away from him, "we can't."

"I disagree." Josh said catching Donna's hands and tugging her back to him, "I can."

Placing her hand against his chest, Donna felt her heart break. "We can't Josh."

"Why not?" Josh asked feeling confusion mar his features. "Are you seeing someone?" he asked feeling his heart start to constrict and the air squeeze out of him.

Shaking her head, Donna pulled away from Josh. "No, but you are."

Snorting, Josh reached out for Donna again. "Please, when was the last time I talked to Amy, let alone saw her?"

"That's not the point." Donna whispered shaking her head and staying out of reach of Josh.

"Then what is?" Josh asked feeling the distinct sting of rejection.

"This," Donna whispered gesturing to the space that she'd put between them, "is when we get into trouble."

Feeling his words hit him, Josh looked up at Donna and finally saw the expression of her face. She wanted this as much as he did. She just though out the consequences. "I don't care." Josh said stubbornly.

"Josh," Donna sighed running her hands through her hair, "you know...you know how this would look. Re-election and another scandal..."

"Who would find out?" Josh asked advancing on Donna and standing right in front of her. Taking her hand in his, Josh affectionately turned it over and placed a kiss on her palm. "Donna, who would find out?"

"Who would find out," Donna echoed feeling tears build up behind her eyes, "is also where we frequently find trouble, Josh."

Looking up at Donna, Josh sighed. "Do you memorize everything I say so that you can throw it back at me?"

"It's a gift." Donna said laughing through her tears.

Kissing away her salty tears, Josh nodded. "You're right."

"Yeah," Donna said sadly, "I know."

"I wish you weren't." Josh whispered enveloping Donna in his arms.

"I wish I wasn't either." Donna replied, "I wish I wasn't."

"But you are." Josh said kissing Donna's head.

"Yeah." Donna sighed hiding her face and her tears in his neck.

Holding Donna in his arms, Josh felt the words spill from his heart before he could stop them. "Thank you for loving me, Donnatella Moss."

Closing her eyes, Donna felt a whole new batch of tears build behind her eyes and threaten to spill. "Joshua?"

"Yeah?" Josh asked holding his breath. 

"Thank you for loving me." Donna whispered wrapping her arms tighter around Josh.

Holding Donna firmly against him, Josh kissed the side of her head tenderly. One day he would yell from Truman Balcony how much he loved this woman. Until then, he would be content holding her in his arms.

The End.

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I know, I know, I know......it's an evil ending, but who knows, I may write a sequel one day. This was suppose to be a post ep. that's all...........and it kinda snowballed into this. Oh well, I'm happy with it. ;]

*Shipper-y enough for you? ;] Tell me what you though!!! Sequel....or no sequel? Hmmm.... 

-Lucy  



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